Charlton 1 (James 51 o.g.) Sunderland 1 (O’Nien 2).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Should Charlton not make at least the play-offs at the end of this difficult season, their failure won’t be blamed on a lack of spirit. The point for which they dug deep in this sizzling promotion clash left no doubt about their character and ability to go toe-to-toe with League One’s best teams and not fear the outcome.

Rocked by a second minute Sunderland goal, the Addicks were battered by cockahoop visitors, who could -and should- have been home and dry by half-time. Stubbornly, they hung in, rode their luck occasionally and stayed in the game. After the break, a rejuvenated team emerged and it was the Black Cats’ turn to squirm. Until, that is, virtually the last kick, which substitute Duncan Watmore spooned haplessly over the bar from 10 unmarked yards. Defeat so late would have been catastrophic, if not unfamiliar.

Facing visitors who have been beaten only twice this season, Lee Bowyer’s men made the worst possible start. Caught cold as Sunderland made inroads on the left flank, they were statuesque onlookers while Lynden Gooch’s clever hold-up play made space for Reece James to cross dangerously to the far post. Arriving late, Luke O’Nien expertly cushioned a right-footed volley across Dillon Phillips into the top left corner. It was the best of starts (by Sunderland) and the worst of starts (by Charlton).

As the home side wavered, Scottish veteran Aidan McGeady and American youth product Gooch plotted further damage. Stylish McGeady’s long range strike skimmed the bar while Gooch’s quickwitted dummy set up ponderous centre forward Charlie Wyke to fire hopelessly off target. Before the break, Gooch’s viciously angled drive crashed off the crossbar to Wyke, who involuntarily shovelled the rebound over the top. A third chance was provided for Wyke by Krystian Bielik’s header, intended for Phillips but disastrously under powered. As the striker painstakingly sorted out his feet, Patrick Bauer made up the ground to save Bielik’s face with a timely block.

Mainly concerned with surviving a one-sided first half, Charlton’s attacking contribution included a full-blooded effort from Albie Morgan, which almost cut Tom Flanagan in two and a crisp shot from Bielik, which whistled narrowly wide. But as the interval neared, there were unmistakeable signs of recovery. McGeady’s wiles were being steadily blunted, combative Gooch’s cage was rattled once or twice and the Addicks restored equilibrium with their usual accurate passing, to which fearless teenager Morgan, Bielik and talented Naby Sarr made accurate contributions. There were also encouraging hints that Lyle Taylor was entering one of his unplayable moods. The Mackems were clearly in for a less comfortable second half.

Six minutes after the break, the subtle change in momentum was confirmed by Charlton’s equaliser. Drifting to the right, Taylor made a tortured mess of Jack Baldwin’s marking, twisting outside the baffled defender to cross hard and low with his right foot. Keeper Jon McLaughlin was given no chance as the ball cannoned past him off James. Scorers of all three Charlton goals in a 3-1 defeat in February 2003, the Black Cats have been bricks about bashing goals into their own net.

The attacking boot was on the other foot now and an unmarked Darren Pratley (or was it Bauer?) wastefully headed Morgan’s right wing corner wide at the far post. A relatively subdued Karlan Grant was also badly off target when meeting an excellent cross from improving right back Anfernee Dijksteel on the volley. Given a timely shot in the arm by new arrival Jonny Williams’ aggressive contribution, meanwhile, the Addicks’ superiority was answered by some shameless timewasting from the Wearsiders, in which McLaughlin played a lollygagging part. Yet it was the visitors who closed strongly with Watmore causing local hearts to pop up in local mouths as met a left wing cutback but drove wildly over the bar. Shame he wasn’t facing his own goal. He might have been more clinical. But there you go…

Charlton: Phillips, Dijksteel, Bauer, Sarr, Solly, Bielik, Morgan (Williams 68), Pratley, Fosu, Grant, Taylor. Not used: Maynard-Brewer, Marshall, Clarke, Ajose, Hackett-Fairchild, Stevenson.

Sunderland: McLaughlin, McGeough, Baldwin, Flanagan, James, O’Nien, Gooch (Watmore 67), McGeady, Maja (Maguire 84), Power, Wyke. Not used: Ruiter, Ozturk, Sinclair, Mumba. Booked: Baldwin, Power.

Referee: Stephen Martin. Att: 16,317 (3125 visiting).

Charlton 2 (Reeves 6, Fosu 39) Gillingham 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

With table-topping Portsmouth’s scalp dangling from their belt, Charlton harnessed the momentum generated by that famous victory to carry them into two pivotal pre-Christmas home games. And on successive Saturdays, they delighted The Valley by removing a couple of painful pebbles which have hobbled them in the recent past.

First up on the Addicks’ things-to-put-right agenda were Wimbledon who turned up last week (or failed to turn up, more to the point) securely muzzled and offering their bellies to be affectionately tickled. Pallid imitations of the attack dogs who revelled in snarling their defiance at strangers, they obediently came to heel. Already being outclassed by 10-men Charlton, their fading hopes evaporated when Mitchell Pinnock’s transparent effort to balance the books by getting Patrick Bauer sent off backfired into his dismissal for simulation (con-eth the hour, con-eth the Don). Fangless and docile, Wimbledon’s bite was even feebler their bark.

Twice conquerors of Charlton in the league last season, next up were Gillingham who traditionally raise their game for this fixture. The pre-kickoff loss of 14-goal striker Tom Eaves was a blow to their chances but understandably drew little sympathy from their hosts, themselves the victims of a seemingly endless catalogue of long-term injuries. To be fair, though, Eaves’ absence was a profound blow to the visitors, not to mention a useful boost for Lee Bowyer’s buoyant side.

Setting off brightly, the Gills delivered a first minute scare when Jed Steer, under possibly illegal pressure in dealing with Darren Oldaker’s corner, dropped the ball at Connor Ogilvie’s feet. Jabbing awkwardly at the chance, Ogilvie steered it against the base of the left hand post. The visitors were to come no closer to scoring though they stuck to their footballing principles, went booking-free and played some neat, if ultimately toothless, stuff. Their game plan was, unhappily, ruined by the sloppy concession of a sixth minute lead.

Lanky goalkeeper Tomas Holy was the instigator of his team’s downfall, his careless throw-out alertly intercepted by Anfernee Dijksteel inside the visitors’ half. The right back’s pass found Ben Reeves, whose surgical exchange with Tarique Fosu played him through an outmanoeuvred rearguard. From six yards, the clever playmaker used his weaker right foot to beat Holy, with appeals for offside undermined by the presence on the goalline of a blue-striped defender. It was Reeves’ first goal of the season and should have been followed by his second when, with his favoured left foot, he shot weakly at Holy after further good work by Fosu.

Operating from a withdrawn position behind main strikers Lyle Taylor and Nicky Ajose but always eager to join them, Fosu was frequently unplayable. Cutting in from the left on to Joe Aribo’s pass, he unleashed a powerful drive which cannoned off the underside of the bar. Clearly in a mood to go it alone, he brilliantly doubled Charlton’s lead before the interval.

Moving from left to right outside the penalty area, Fosu accepted Aribo’s short pass before using his teammate’s tall presence as a screen to elude Mark Byrne’s pursuit. From 25 yards, a stuttering touch set up a powerfully curled drive which gave Holy no chance on its way into the top right corner. His stunning effort brought the house down and effectively ended this routine game as a serious contest.

The second half began with a wake-up call for the Addicks as Brandon Hanlan’s header re-directed Dean Parrett’s right wing corner narrowly wide of the far post but quickly developed into an effortless containment exercise for the vastly superior home side. There was none of that familiar vulnerability in protecting a lead as this game was expertly managed to its inevitable conclusion. Quietly and efficiently, Steve Lovell’s men were put in their place by Bowyer’s newly confident troops, among which Krystian Bielik (the only booking on a suitably peaceful Yuletide afternoon) and emergency left back Chris Solly were outstanding.

With Darren Pratley, as a 73rd minute replacement for a battered Aribo, hopefully leading the return to the colours of the wounded warriors, there’s cause for hopeful anticipation around S.E.7. And that’s quite enough giddy optimism for the time being. No call to be putting the mockers on things. It was good, though, to finally rid ourselves of those stones in our shoes. As Mae West would say, I feel like a new man.  Happy Christmas and God bless us one and all.

Charlton: Steer, Dijksteel, Bauer, Pearce, Solly, Bielik, Aribo (Pratley 73), Reeves, Ajose, Fosu (Marshall 90), Taylor (Hackett-Fairchild 79). Not used: Phillips, Morgan, Stevenson, Sarpong-Wiredu. Booked: Bielik.

Gillingham: Holy, Fuller (O’Neill 66), Lacey, Zakuani, Byrne, Oldaker (Reilly 46), Parrett, List, Parker, Ogilvie, Hanlan (Charles-Cook 71). Not used: Hadler, Garmston, Bingham, Rees.

Referee: Charles Breakspear. Att: 12,836 (1401 visiting).

Charlton 2 (Taylor 60, Marshall 86) AFC Wimbledon 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

It’s unlikely that Lee Bowyer will easily forget his first season in management. He has handled one injury crisis after another, the nadir of which were the freak shoulder dislocations suffered by Igor Vetokele and Josh Cullen in the same game at Walsall in November. Even during Charlton’s heroic win at whinging Portsmouth on Tuesday, he lost newly prolific striker Karlan Grant and midfield dynamo George Lapslie. At one point or another, he has been deprived of several key members of his slender squad.

The injury cloud which has regularly blighted the Addicks’ improving progress has been supplied, happily, with a distinctly white lining. While cleverly juggling his resources, the beleaguered boss has been well served by the various stopgaps, volunteers and rookies who have stepped up to plug the holes. Mutual trust has been the key to survival.

It was no doubt a huge relief to the gaffer that without a midweek fixture to complicate matters, Charlton emerged from this routine win over historically awkward Wimbledon with no new casualties. Almost inevitably, however, Naby Sarr’s unforgivable excess of zeal before a minute of this low-key derby had elapsed, handed Bowyer another headache in solving the chronic problem at left back. Nineteen year-old Toby Stevenson may now be offered another chance to deputise for long-term absentee Lewis Page, while Sarr serves a three-game suspension. Don’t bet against the kid grabbing a second opportunity to impress the guv’nor.

Less than a minute, during which no Addick barely touched the ball, had ticked by before Sarr launched his boneheaded assault on Tennai Watson close to the right touchline. There was an outside possibility that referee Kettle’s card of choice, as he closed in on a pack of baying Dons surrounding the stricken Watson, might be yellow but the victim’s heartrending agony and his teammates’ vociferous outrage convinced the dithering official that red was his only alternative. For all the wrong reasons, he was right.

With no disrespect to the towering Sarr, he was barely missed. Ultra-professional skipper Jason Pearce shifted to left back, with Krystian Bielik taking over seamlessly alongside the rock-like Patrick Bauer at centre half. With dependable Chris Solly continuing at right back, that might well be the back four which welcomes Gillingham to The Valley next Saturday. It served the Addicks well against the passive Dons who were themselves without key defender Deji Oshilaja and top scorer Joe Pigott.

With the 10 men hosts effortlessly hogging possession but rarely threatening to score, lone forward Mitchell Pinnock evened up the personnel count by picking up two quickfire bookings before the break. Already cautioned for a foul on Ben Reeves, it was unwise to exaggerate his fall under Pearce’s innocuous challenge near the 18-yard line. There was minimal contact, or so it appeared, but Pinnock’s theatrics and that of his excitable colleagues did him no favour. Like Sarr, his departure made little difference.

In no hurry to lower the boom, the Addicks kept both the ball and their heads. Confronted by visitors with no ambition but survival, they bided their time. “We just had to be patient…we had to keep the ball, move the ball and try and switch it”, commented Bowyer. Their overwhelming domination of first half possession (73%-27%) softened up new gaffer Wally Downes’ curiously unadventurous side for the second half kill.

Resuming with more intent following the interval, Charlton began to create chances. A short corner routine involving Tarique Fosu and charismatic ex-Don Lyle Taylor (serenaded by opposite ends of the ground for his considerable contribution to both clubs) set up Reeves to blast wastefully off target before Joe Aribo did likewise from an equally promising position. The pressure was hardly white hot but it was no surprise when Taylor shot his new employers in front on the hour.

Aribo’s industry inside his own half earned him possession and was followed by a raking pass along the left flank which Nicky Ajose’s anticipation and pace made his own near the byline. The wide midfielder’s hard low cross was met by Taylor, who stole a step on Watson and deftly flicked home with the outside of his right foot. In deference to his Wimbledon connections, he declined to celebrate, a task enthusiastically undertaken by Charlton fans, who have suffered more than once at the hands of their irreverent South West London neighbours.

Briefly inspired by lively substitute Tyley Burey, the previously negative visitors began to stir, their belated nothing-to-lose attitude causing mild consternation in the home tribunes. Clearly a clinching goal was recommended, a detail Ajose should have taken care of when sent through by Reeves’ glorious pass. Having momentarily rounded Joe McDonnell, his hesitation allowed the keeper to recover and superbly block the hopeful effort.

The coup-de-grace had been merely delayed as it it turned out. With five minutes remaining, Bielik’s outstanding contribution was crowned by the artfully disguised crossfield pass which sent electric-heeled substitute Mark Marshall away to find a niche for the crisply delivered drive across McDonnell which nestled snugly in the far bottom corner.

That was job done against Wimbledon; it’s now time to deal with Gillingham, another of those punch-above-their-weight tormentors who habitually raise their game to face Charlton. It might be all about muck and nettles; if it is, Bowyer’s men need to get as down and dirty as their visitors. After which, class should out.

Charlton: Steer, Solly, Bauer, Pearce, Sarr (s/o). Bielik, Aribo, Reeves (Marshall 77), Fosu, Ajose (Dijksteel 71), Taylor. Not used: Phillips, Morgan, Hackett-Fairchild, Stevenson, Warpong-Wiredu. Booked: Bielik, Taylor.

Wimbledon: McDonnell,Watson, Purrington, Nightingale, Thomas, Wagstaff (Burey 76), Hartigan (Jervis 60), Pinnock (s/o), Barcham (Hanson 78), Soares, Wordsworth. Not used: King, Trotter, Sibbick, Kalambayi. Booked: Wagstaff.

Charlton 2 (Grant 12,88) Plymouth Argyle 1 (Carey 9).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

After coming of age just four days before this game, Karlan Grant rubberstamped his 21st birthday with two vital goals to drag Charlton across the line to victory over stubborn Plymouth Argyle at a rainsoaked Valley. Having made his debut as far back as September 2014, the young Academy graduate seems to have been around forever but it’s his dramatic improvement during the last few months which has been particularly gratifying for his New Eltham mentors. There was always a bona-fide player lurking behind the often diffident novice and he’s finally emerged from his shell. Karlan’s a born-again Addick.

A freescoring loan spell with Crawley Town towards the end of last season sent the young striker back to Charlton brimming with new confidence. Hitting the ground running – and- scoring- under new manager Lee Bowyer’s nurturing eye since this campaign kicked off, Grant has formed one half of a potent partnership with Lyle Taylor, which guarantees problems for League One defences. Possibly removing the weight of “Ahearne” from his back and going single-barrelled did the trick. Hopefully, it catches on among all the ersatz public schoolboys currently cluttering our teamsheets.

Grant’s first goal was particularly timely coming, as it did, just three minutes after the injury-hit Pilgrims had silenced the home tribunes by grabbing a shock lead. He was artfully goalhanging under the crossbar when Jason Pearce’s cushioning header of Ben Reeves’ outswinging corner from the left reached him; swivelling balletically, he ruthlessly hooked the ball into the net. Though there was a frustrating wait in store for his second goal, the equaliser took the immediate wind from the Westcountrymen’s sails. They really needed to consolidate their early advantage until at least the interval. Not that they didn’t give a spirited account of themselves during the long struggle separating Grant’s goals.

A cagey opening had sprung into life when Graham Carey, Argyle’s midfield driving force, headed the visitors in front. The spadework for his chance was provided by Ruben Lameiras’ sharp pass out to Joel Grant on the left flank and continued by an accurate cross, delivered right-footed by the Jamaican international and nodded neatly into the bottom left corner by Carey. Painful questions might be asked about the inability of the normally impeccable Chris Solly to close down Grant’s space and of momentarily switched-off Lewis Page for allowing Carey to brush past him to steal the yard he needed in making telling contact with the wideman’s inviting centre.

A prompt riposte was demanded of the Addicks and Grant’s fourth goal of the season cut the mustard perfectly. It was never going to be easy to break Plymouth’s toe-to-toe resistance thereafter but the momentum had shifted in favour of Bowyer’s eager beavers. Enjoying his best performance in the red shirt, Reeves began to show the class which, to be fair to him, was recognised by Karl Robinson at MK Dons. Alongside him, Joe Aribo, until he faded somewhat, made his usual prodigious contribution, while Josh Cullen’s Scott Parker-like quality was again obvious. With pugnacious Jamie Ward beginning to settle in and Billy Clarke on his way back, Bowyer seems satisfactorily stocked in midfield. And up front, of course, in the prolific partnership of Grant and Lyle Taylor he has the means to frighten defences at this level.

It was Taylor, foraging in the right channel, whose shrewd pass played Solly into unaccustomed penalty area territory five minutes from the break. Diligently tracking the adventurous right back’s run, Antoni Sarcevic’s lunging challenge from behind was both ill-advised and illegal. Handed the opportunity to punish the offence from the spot, Taylor was instead foiled by Matt Macey, who brilliantly fingertipped his shot against the bar. With Grant unable to turn in the rebound from an acute angle, Argyle had been spared to fight on. Grant might find solace in accepting that if there’s ever a good time to miss a penalty, it’s in an ultimately winning cause.

Prior to the interval, the lanky Macey again distinguished himself with a double save to deny first Ward, then Grant from the ensuing rebound. Ten minutes following resumption, Joel Grant came close to rubbing salt into Charlton’s wounds with a shot which deflected wickedly to safety off the bar. But by then the traffic was flowing in one direction, with Page and Aribo denied by emergency blocks before Taylor’s electric burst was blunted by Peter Grant’s heroic intervention; Grant shot wildly wide with Taylor better placed, then Page’s effort looped off Ryan Edwards but harmlessly against the left upright. It seemed that the Pilgrims would be progressing home with a valuable point when, in the 88th minute, their brave defensive wall was breached.

Switching to the left, Reeves stepped inside to launch one more cross towards the far post. Competing with Yann Song’o in the air, Igor Vetokele managed enough contact to keep the ball alive, his touch all Grant needed to bury the matchwinner through a spreadeagled Green army and to break the hearts of 1013 long-distance commuters watching in horror from behind the far goal. Those broken hearts soon joined home hearts in their mouths as substitute David Fox comprehensively beat Jed Steer with a right-footed cannonball which took the paint off the left post, rebounded off the barrier back into the safe part of the sidenet, meanwhile fooling one and all that he had scored. Seconds later, the three added minutes, which served as a rebuke to the visitors for their flagrant time wasting, came to an end and Charlton’s latest walk on the wild side was over. Call ’em what you like but don’t dare call ’em boring!

Charlton: Steer, Solly, Pearce, Sarr, Page, Cullen, Aribo, Ward (Vetokele 81), Reeves, Grant, Taylor. Not used: Phillips, Dijksteel, Marshall, Morgan, Ajose, Lapslie. Booked: Taylor.

Plymouth: Macey, Smith-Brown, Wootton (Peter Grant 38), Edwards, Sawyer (Wylde 46), Songo’o, Carey, Sarcevic (Fox 53), Joel Grant, Lameiras, Ladapo. Not used: Letheren, O’Keefe, Dyson, Fletcher.

Referee: Dean Whitestone. Att: 10,818 (1013 visiting).

Charlton 3 (Jombatti 31 o.g, Taylor 70, Sarr 80) Wycombe 2 (Williams 6, Cowan-Hall 89).

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

While the off-field struggle for Charlton’s soul rages on amid tales of vindictive economies designed apparently to demoralise a dwindling staff, Lee Bowyer’s squad continues to scrap for him like junkyard dogs. Winning ugly is what the newly-appointed manager called this victory over spirited and slightly unlucky Wycombe but beauty, they say, is in the eye of the beholder. This one, while unlovely to the aesthetes, made handsome viewing for the philistines.

Behind early on to Randell Williams’ cleverly taken goal, Bowyer’s babes shook off the blow, stuck together and fought back. Rising above the spiteful ploys of an owner who hasn’t been seen in South East London since 2014 in a stadium which, frankly, could do with a good wash, they prevailed over likeable Gareth Ainsworth’s visitors from the less than football-daft county of Buckinghamshire.

During the opening half hour of a first half mostly dominated by Wycombe, Charlton’s prospects seemed unpromising. They had yet to switch on when Jason McCarthy’s alert throw-in made space for Curtis Thompson to set up a shooting chance for Williams. From just outside the penalty area, the Watford loanee found the bottom left corner with an effort containing just enough curl to beat the full length dive of debutant Jed Steer, whose first meaningful touch as an Addick was to fish the ball out of his net. Behind the far goal, the celebrations of over 1,000 Chairboys and, of course, Chairgirls chortled their surprise and delight. In the home tribunes, meanwhile, the murmur of growing irritation swelled.

It was important, of course, not to fall further in arrears, a disaster which Steer’s save from Williams’ header and the block made by Patrick Bauer to keep out Bryn Morris’s rebound attempt, narrowly averted. Gaining a tentative foothold in a game already passing them by, Charlton turned it on its head with an equaliser featuring good play and equally good fortune.

Described by Bowyer as the best crosser in the club, aggressive wingback Lewis Page was given the opportunity to justify his gaffer’s accolade when found by Lyle Taylor on the left flank. Brushing past Dominic Gape’s challenge, Page whipped over a hard, low centre designed to cause panic in Wanderers’ six-yard area. Sliding in to deal with the danger, Sido Jombatti inadvertently slashed the ball into his own net.

Relieved to be level, Charlton were suddenly favourites to win. Before the break, Nicky Ajose’s adroit pass sent Karlan Grant through to confront keeper Ryan Allsop, who won their one-on-one duel by blocking the dramatically improved forward’s shot with his legs. The pressure was now on the visitors and Taylor’s spectacular overhead shot, engineered for him by Grant’s fine work on the right, grazed the crossbar.

The regular concession of needless free kicks dangerously close to the penalty area was Bowyer’s main concern, with Joe Jacobson’s low free kick early in the second half threaded through the wall but fielded competently by Steer. It was the early introduction of Ben Reeves and George Lapslie, however, which sealed Wycombe’s fate. Reeves replaced the off-colour Ajose while Lapslie stepped up for Darren Pratley, booked for the second successive week for a cynical foul on Williams. Both substitutes made game-changing contributions, Reeves with his perceptive link-up vision, Lapslie with his usual combination of indefatigable industry and often overlooked skill.

The Chairboys were far from finished, though, and when Millwall loan signing Fred Onyedinma’s header, from Jacobson’s cross, bypassed Steer, Bauer was on hand to clear off the line. At the other end, Bauer met Lapslie’s inviting delivery but headed over the bar before Allsop kept his side level by beating Taylor to Steer’s huge punt as it cleared Jombatti’s straining head, surviving a painful collision to clear the danger.

Eventually the Addicks broke Wycombe’s resistance with a pair of close range finishes. The first was plotted by Joe Aribo’s pass to Grant, whose turn of speed prised the visitors open through the left channel. The speedster’s low centre was returned beyond the far post by Bauer and forced home from a yard out by Taylor. The clinching goal – or so it seemed at the time – was claimed by Naby Sarr, who bullied Reeves’ astute free kick over the line at the second attempt. With only 10 minutes left, that appeared to be that.

Not a bit of it, as it turned out. Seconds before regulation time expired, lively substitute Paris Cowan-Hall’s terrific header powered Jacobson’s outswinging left wing corner past Steer. Five added minutes were immediately advertised, bringing with them their customary angst and torment. To be honest, you’re better off looking elsewhere for an accurate report of the final knockings because your normally cool, urbane reporter spent them in a steadily subsiding position under his press seat. Sorry about that but I dropped my pen.

Charlton: Steer, Solly, Bauer, Pearce, Page, Sarr, Pratley (Lapslie 56), Aribo, Ajose (Reeves 47), Grant, Taylor (Dijksteel 90). Not used: Phillips, Marshall, Vetokele, Morgan. Booked: Pratley, Sarr, Steer.

Wycombe: Allsop, Jombatti, Jacobson, Gape, Stewart, Mackail-Smith (Onyedinma 57), Morris, Thompson, Akinfenwa (Paris-Hall 79), Williams, McCarthy (Kashket 63). Not used: Kalambay, Saunders, Bean, Harriman. Booked: Jombatti

Referee: Graham Salisbury. Att: 10,358 (1078 visiting).

Charlton 0 Fleetwood Town 0.

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

Holding Fleetwood Town to a drab goalless draw at home was hardly guaranteed to dispel the air of gloom currently hanging over The Valley. It’s a measure of Charlton’s fall from grace that the point Town took home with them, along with 80 stout-hearted followers, was no more than they deserved. The stalemate was a result which will have surprised nobody in a division where the role of underdog needs re-assessment on a game-by-game basis.

Coming hard on the heels of the cruel midweek defeat by Peterborough United there were, to be fair, positives for Lee Bowyer to dredge from the dross. Fleetwood did arrive, after all, in a nose-bleeding play-off position; ignoring their subservient position, Charlton achieved their first clean sheet of the season; the presence, on the bench, of Jason Pearce and Igor Vetokele signals a return to action of several sidelined first teamers; last and let’s also make him least, Ched Evans was hardly allowed a kick of the ball.

Adamant that the turbulence before kick-off would not affect his players, Bowyer’s point was eloquently made by the devastating turn of pace shown by Karlan Grant to penetrate the visitors’s rearguard and set up a first minute chance for Lyle Taylor. An alert defensive block foiled Taylor’s close range flick before CARD’s threatened salvo of crisps brought the game to a crunchy halt. I don’t need telling that simple economics ruled out the use of Kettle crisps or any of those middle class beetroot-and-coriander efforts they charge a ransom for in gastropubs but the cheapos on offer didn’t have to taste like kitchen roll.

The point was not to eat them but hurl them on to the pitch – I get that too – but there was no way even hula hoops could travel that far from the pressbox. So with a shrewdly orchestrated show of bravado, I scornfully ate half of them (it might help if I explain that they’ve discontinued food in the press lounge), then contemptuously tossed the packet and what was left of them on the floor. I feel justified in claiming  the manoeuvre was carried with the right mixture of devil-may-care disdain and nonchalant disregard for consequences.

I plan to finish the rest when Wimbledon turn up on Tuesday week. They’ll still be there unless Uncle Roland pries the moths off his wallet and cleans up after us. In other words, they’ll still be there.

Back to Charlton vs. Fleetwood where, after the nibbles break, Charlton continued their bright start. Patrick Bauer headed Lewis Page’s corner wide and Mark Marshall -whose experience was preferred to Albie Morgan’s youthful optimism -sent a decent effort over the bar. Page’s clever pass sent Taylor clear but Wes Morgan’s desperate clearance dealt with the striker’s wickedly dipping cross. When Joey Barton’s Cod ‘n Chips Army hit back, Dillon Phillips’ sharp reflexes were required to foil Paddy Madden’s flick at the near post before Jason Holt and James Husband combined to set up a close range chance for Morgan, a brave block by Page snuffing out the danger almost at source.

With just five goals conceded in as many league games – one of them a penalty – it appears that Charlton are reasonably well served in goal. But young Phillips has his critics, well meaning and otherwise, despite his steady improvement. He delivered a riposte to his detractors with the full length save he made to keep out the downward header by Ashley Hunter which seemed to have buried Madden’s perfect cross inside the keeper’s left-hand post. Phillips does need to improve his distribution, though – he hasn’t contributed an assist so far this season.

The Addicks’ best chance to break the deadlock fell to Joe Aribo a quarter hour before the end. Good work by impressive holding midfielder Krystian Bielik and persistent Darren Pratley set up Chris Solly to deliver a deliciously chipped centre from the right byline. With time and space to pick his spot from 15 yards, Aribo struck a left-footed volley disappointingly wide of the target. He was promptly replaced by battery-charged George Lapslie, arriving as usual like his shorts were on fire, whose last minute header was cleared off the goalline by Lewis Coyle. The goalless outcome was ensured by Phillips, whose anticipation helped him reach Hunter’s 22-yard free kick, awarded for Bauer’s foul on Chris Long, and turn it to safety.

Long story short etc, the draw against a team who scored five in midweek was honourable. There’s still a defiant spirit at Charlton that no amount of eccentric dictates from Brussels can destroy. Here’s hoping, however, that Roland’s next dietary outburst involves a riff on Marie Antoinette’s dubiously attributed advice that the lower orders eat cake. A nice slice or two of Victoria sponge would go down a treat. No way would that get thrown on the pitch. The mess in the Lower West would turn opinion against CARD, as would the use of rock cakes. Just saying like.

Charlton: Phillips, Solly, Bauer, Sarr, Page, Bielik, Aribo (Lapslie 78), Pratley, Marshall (Vetokele 63), Grant, Taylor. Not used: Steer, Dijksteel, Pearce, Morgan, Ajose. Booked: Pratley, Sarr, Bauer.

Referee: Anthony Coggins. Att: 8,810 (80 visiting).

Charlton 0 Peterborough 1 (Cummings 89, pen)

Kevin Nolan reports from The Valley.

From time to time, football fans have been known to blame a referee for defeat. Ref-ism is the last refuge of the sore loser and is normally dead-batted by a non-committal expression, perhaps grudgingly qualified by a muttered version of Mandy Rice-Davies’ celebrated put-down – “well, you would, wouldn’t you?”. Let’s be honest, there’s nobody more irritating than a football fan with a hard luck story. Well, most of the time.

At The Valley on Tuesday evening, for instance, there were 9,762 witnesses to a refereeing performance of stunning ineptitude. The best and worst you could say for James Linington is that his inefficiency had the whole world and its aunt at his throat until, with a minute remaining on the clock, his panicky award of a match-winning penalty to Peterborough United won him the sudden admiration and gratitude of 745 pilgrims from Cambridgeshire, who found within themselves instant forgiveness for the shoddy 89 minutes which preceded the crucial decision. At odds with dotty Roy Hodgson’s piously Corinthian pronouncement that he’s uneasy when Crystal Palace benefit from dodgy penalty decisions, the visiting tribunes celebrated a huge break long and hard. They stopped just short of a rousing rendition of “For he’s a jolly good fellow” while the rest of the ground seethed with righteous indignation.

If, as they say, the best referees go unnoticed, then Linington failed the litmus test miserably. Pathetically anxious not to be labelled a “homer”, he was at posturing pains to establish himself as exactly the opposite. Selflessly assisted by rotund Posh manager Steve Evans, he theatrically ruled most contentious decisions in the visitors’ favour. During the second half, he whistled for a foul indisputably committed on Lyle Taylor, but forgot which way the sides were kicking and absentmindedly pointed east when it should clearly have been west. We were in the hands of a fool but not, to be fair, a sizeist. Both rail-thin Lee Bowyer and beer-barrelled Evans were both booked for colourfully expressing their disenchantment with Isle of Wight’s finest -possibly only- league referee.

Linington’s antics reached their nadir as a goalless draw seemed the logical outcome of an earnest but undistinguished game. The clock signalled the last minute of normal time when the shrewd substitutions made by Evans midway through the second half paid off handsomely. Frequently a thorn in Charlton’s side, left-footed wide man Marcus Maddison and Newcastle United loanee Ivan Toney had already made a difference when they combined in a final effort to break the deadlock. Diving headlong in a vain bid to head Maddison’s dangerously dipping cross, Toney received the merest nudge from Lewis Page as he plunged to the turf. Succumbing to pressure from behind the away goal and bullied throughout by Evans, Linington pointed to the spot, from where Jason Cummings coolly converted the most contentious of penalties.

Beside himself with anger, Bowyer’s unequivocal post-game comments risked sanction. “I told my players they had been cheated, robbed, however you want to describe it, however you want to dress it up. The referee gave them absolutely everything and the manager was constantly riding the ref and I would think that he bullied him into that decision. It was the wrong decision and I feel so sorry for the lads. They’ve been cheated out of a point, maybe three because we were in the ascendancy and could have scored at the end.” He then climbed down from the fence he was straddling and prepared to face the music.

An extra special exercise in eccentricity from Linington was required to resolve this evenly fought issue. Chances were rare as the Addicks coped comfortably enough with the league leaders. Admittedly, a scrambling goalline clearance from Chris Solly was required to repel a looping header from Rhys Bennett, while Dillon Phillips’ alert angle-narrowing foiled Siriki Dembele after the elusive bag of tricks was sent clear by Toney. And local hearts were in mouths when Colin Daniel brilliantly pierced the home lines to shoot narrowly wide. But Phillips and his doughty defence -among which new recruit Krystian Bielik was particularly impressive- seemed to have earned their first clean sheet of the season until it was soiled by incompetent refereeing.

With Fleetwood Town due at The Valley on Saturday, Bowyer’s immediate task will be restore Charlton’s bruised spirits. His players gave everything for him midweek and while unable to carve out clear chances against disciplined Posh, attacked with verve and imagination. Albie Morgan, meanwhile, became the latest academy graduate to make his full debut as youth continues to call the tune. With his squad expected to be reinforced by players returning from injury, the passionate young boss has reasons to be cheerful. Best not to mention the Isle of Wight for a while!

Charlton: Phillips, Solly, Bauer, Bielik, Sarr, Page, Pratley, Aribo, Morgan (Ajose 66), Taylor, Grant. Not used: Steer, Dijksteel, Marshall, Lapslie, Maloney, Hackett-Fairchild. Booked: Pratley, Taylor, Page.

Peterborough: Chapman, Naismith, Daniel, Woodyard, Tafazolli, O’Hara, Godden (Toney 62), Demele (Cooper 83), Ward (Maddison 62), Bennett, Cummings. Not used: Tyler, Reed, Cooke, Yorwerth. Booked: Woodyard.

Referee: James Linington. Att: 9,762 (745 visiting).